A new UN partnership that will empower young leaders in the Global South to become agents of change was launched during the Global South-South Development Expo 2017 in Antalya, Turkey.
The initiative, known as ‘Scaling Up Southern Solutions for Sustainable Development Through Advanced Youth Leadership’ – or by the shorthand, ‘Youth for the South’ – will focus on tailor-made on-site learning and leadership development programmes.
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Financial Center for South-South Cooperation, the Union for the Mediterranean and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) are among the initial funding partners of Youth for the South.
Through the programme, young leaders will learn to identify and adapt successful solutions in their areas of interest, as well as will receive hands-on training to bring transformational change to their own communities and countries.
Initially, around 30 to 60 young leaders from six developing countries, chosen by their proven capabilities and strong potential to make a difference in their communities, will take part in an intensive programme that will consist of interactive sessions, on-site and on-the-job training, and distance learning.
The participants will travel to other Southern nations to learn about specific areas of interest related to sustainable development, including agriculture and rural development, social protection, sustainable energy and youth employment.
The programme will be overseen by a steering committee comprised of representatives of the UN Office for South-South Cooperation, founding partners, and participating UN agencies.
UNOSSC emphasized that with some 85 per cent of the world’s youth now residing in the Global South, it is fundamental to establish new partnerships and support young leaders.
